It matters what you see: Graphic media images of war and terror may amplify distress
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Media exposure to graphic images of violence has proliferated in contemporary society, particularly with the advent of social media. Extensive exposure to media coverage immediately after the 9/11 attacks and the Boston Marathon bombings (BMB) was associated with more early traumatic stress symptoms; in fact, several hours of BMB-related daily media exposure was a stronger correlate of distress than being directly exposed to the bombings themselves. Researchers have replicated these findings across different traumatic events, extending this work to document that exposure to graphic images is independently and significantly associated with stress symptoms and poorer functioning. The media exposure-distress association also appears to be cyclical over time, with increased exposure predicting greater distress and greater distress predicting more media exposure following subsequent tragedies. The war in Israel and Gaza, which began on October 7, 2023, provides a current, real-time context to further explore these issues as journalists often share graphic images of death and destruction, making media-based graphic images once again ubiquitous and potentially challenging public well-being. For individuals sharing an identity with the victims or otherwise feeling emotionally connected to the Middle East, it may be difficult to avoid viewing these images. Through a review of research on the association between exposure to graphic images and public health, we discuss differing views on the societal implications of viewing such images and advocate for media literacy campaigns to educate the public to identify mis/disinformation and understand the risks of viewing and sharing graphic images with others.
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Awards: A National Longitudinal Study of Community Trauma Exposure, Responding to turbulent times: Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath in a probability-based US national sample, Coping with Community-Based and Personal Trauma: National Response Following September 11th, G3175805977, RAPID: Amplifying threats during cascading crises: Media's role in shaping psychological responses to the war in Ukraine, G3693628902, SGER: Coping with Community-based Traumatic Events: National Response to September 11, 2001, G5452230534, SGER: Coping with Community-based Traumatic Events: The Columbine High School Shootings and the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks, RAPID: Uncertain Risk and Stressful Future: A National Study of the COVID-2019 Outbreak in the U.S., Coping with Compounding Risk and Uncertainty: A Longitudinal Study of Cascading Collective Stress in a Probability-Based-US Sample, RAPID: Responding to Terror (Again): A National Study of the Boston Marathon Bombings
OpenAlex ID: W4400352152